The sea without coast - the myth or reality?

So, came time of long-awaited holiday. Things are already packed, obligations for care of a cat are politely assigned to the neigbour. Let`s sit down on a path … Phone. This is the friend: “ Well, where you will set this time? As usual, to Turkey? “

But me bothered to live from summer to summer, remembering as tasty feed at restaurant of five-stars hotel and as it is pleasant to lie all day on the beach, coming back to a cozy seafront room towards evening. I fly to the Bermudas, to plow open spaces of the Sargasso Sea!

Brief information.

the Sargasso Sea - the huge ellipse located in the Atlantic Ocean between 20 and 40 degrees of a northern latitude and 30 and 70 degrees of the western longitude (between the Bermudas and Leeward Islands). The area is equal to about 5,2 sq.km, this size by 8 times surpasses the area of France.

The Sargasso Sea has no analogs in the nature. Its coast are big oceanic currents: in the West and the North - Severo - Atlantic (part of Gulf Stream), in the east - Canary, in the south - Passatnoye. At the same time currents are displaced in time, also the area of the sea respectively changes.

Myth the first: in the middle of the ocean there is a huge congestion of seaweed, so dense that can interfere with the movement of the ships . In September, 1492 Columbus in search of a short way to India came across instead of the earth an enormous raft from water plants which interfered with further advance of the ship to the West. With huge work the team managed to cross this vegetable weight.

The drifting raft consists mainly of seaweed of one look - Sargassum natans. Feature is that on a water surface they are kept by the bubbles filled with gas. “ Sargaso “ - from Portuguese “ &quot grapes cluster; from here and name of the sea. Seaweed come off coastal rocks and are brought by a current here, exist some time “ afloat “ and then die off and sink. Coming off rocks, seaweed can freely breed shoots, that is are not dependent on the land at all.

Further seafarers dispelled the myth that seaweed in the Sargasso Sea can interfere with the movement of the ships. Presently Sargassum can unless to be hammered into logs of vessels.

Myth of the second: in the Sargasso Sea there is a full calm, from - for what the sailing vessel cannot get out of it. For ancient seafarers these waters really were the evil embodiment: “ sea of spirits “ “ sea of fragments “ “ sea of ghosts “ “ cemetery of the ships “ etc.

the Sargasso Sea - huge area of calm, the movement of water masses goes clockwise around. The central part of the sea - the area of a high pressure - an anti-cyclone therefore here calms and the clear sky prevail. Really, there are many examples when the ships leaving from the USA to Europe, a hurricane brought to the Sargasso Sea, and there they for lack of wind slowly drifted on a vicious circle for months, the breeze will not rise yet. The survived seamen told that they saw a carpet from seaweed with the shipwreck which is sticking out of it, trees on which birds nested.

Thus, the myth about “ cemetery of the ships “ in the Sargasso Sea has the right for existence though presently crossing of the Atlantic Ocean under a sail is already equated to a feat, and only the true thrill-seeker will decide on it.

Myth the third: huge funnels which suck in the ships. the Entry in the logbook of June, 1494 made by Christopher Columbus: “ The unusual funnel drained in three ships … for lack of some was a storm or concern at the sea “.

Some experts consider that the Sargasso Sea - a source of all troubles in “ Bermuda Triangle “. The reason for that - huge whirlpool which slowly rotates thanks to warm currents. It, in turn, generates smaller whirlpools which can tighten in a chasm not only small vessels, but also ocean tankers. Besides, these whirlpools generate in &quot air; pass - the &quot cyclones; and those suck in and send the planes which are flying by at small height to a bottom.

To be fair, it should be noted that most of scientists and supernumeraries do not agree with this statement as least of all vessels, annually wrecked in the World Ocean, perish near the Sargasso Sea.

So, the majority of legends about “ the sea without coast “ probably, and will remain legends. But is not present on Earth of at least one more similar place. The Sargasso Sea - really surprising natural phenomenon. Scientists study it many years and make all new and new discoveries. And the set of the myths generated by impression of people only stirs interest in novel.